Stride Funding, now rebranded as Clasp, has closed an oversubscribed venture round of more than $10 million led by $4.6 billion venture firm Crosslink Capital, bringing its total funding to over $30 million.
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Other new strategic investors include SHRM and individuals like Marc Weill whose family is known for their contributions to leading healthcare institutions.
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Clasp’s retention-driven recruitment platform addresses talent shortages by helping employers recruit and retain critical talent in hard-to-hire fields, with a focus on reducing student debt and fostering long-term commitments between employers and employees. The rebrand reflects Clasp’s evolving mission to solve recruitment and retention challenges through a forward-looking approach that benefits both sides of the employment equation.
Supporting more than 10,000 individuals on its platform, Clasp is currently focused on the healthcare industry with partnerships with healthcare systems ranging from academic, pediatric, home health, optometry, and veterinary organizations. Clasp also works with one of the largest semiconductor companies and has plans to expand into other hard-to-hire industries as the company grows.
According to the American Hospital Association, by 2026, the U.S. will need to hire an additional 3.2 million new healthcare workers to meet growing demand and support patients. Clasp’s innovative model addresses this issue by forming strong, lasting bonds between employers and employees. Clasp widens candidate pools across a national network of universities and training programs, matching current students with healthcare institutions that commit to repaying their student loans across a multi-year work commitment.
Clasp has seen not only mission-alignment but also program expansion with its healthcare partners. Shaughn Korpalski, Senior Manager of Campus, Branding, and ED&I at MyEyeDr., shared: “We’ve proudly partnered with Clasp for the past two years, and the growth has been remarkable. As our collaboration has evolved, we’ve successfully increased our candidate pool while building a strong pipeline of healthcare professionals to meet our long-term goals. This program strengthens our dedication to ensuring the financial well-being of our talent, as well as maintaining high-quality care for our patients.”
For students, Clasp provides financial relief, a future unburdened by student loan debt, and the assurance of a job after graduation. For healthcare institutions, Clasp delivers a steady pipeline of committed talent, from nurses to radiologic technologists to respiratory therapists—while reducing recruitment costs, eliminating the need for signing bonuses, contract labor, and more.
“The healthcare recruitment system is broken,” said Tess Michaels, founder and CEO of Clasp. “Healthcare institutions are competing for a shrinking talent pool and using band-aids like sign-on bonuses that don’t improve retention and just perpetuate a leaky bucket. At the same time, new clinical talent faces massive debt and long waits for loan forgiveness. Clasp addresses both problems with a model that’s better for everyone.”
“Clasp is fundamentally reshaping how we solve some of the most pressing workforce challenges of our time,” said Gabby Contro, Partner at Crosslink Capital. “Their ability to align educational investment with career advancement not only addresses the student debt crisis but also creates a sustainable, high-impact solution for industries struggling with chronic talent shortages. Clasp’s model isn’t just innovative—it’s transformative, and we are proud to back their bold vision to revolutionize recruitment and retention across healthcare and beyond.”
The new company name, Clasp, was created by A Hundred Monkeys, and the new brand identity was developed by Mackey Saturday, known for his work with brands including Instagram and Affirm.
About Clasp
Clasp, a retention-driven recruitment platform, was founded by Tess Michaels in 2018 to tackle critical talent shortages in hard-to-hire fields by bridging the gap between education and employment. By enabling employers to invest in future talent where it matters most—easing overwhelming student debt—Clasp creates lasting bonds between employers and employees. Clasp believes employers having a stake in the cost of education leads to a more sustainable, equitable, and skilled workforce.
Clasp works with current students in higher education to match them with companies nationwide looking to fill critical roles across their organization. Once matched, the organization agrees to pay some or all of the student’s future loan payments over a specified work commitment.
